Corn-planter.



E. W. BOWERS.

conn PLANTER.

(Application led Jan. 8, 1900.)

(nu Model.) 3 sheets-sheet l.

No. 65|,9|8. Patented 1une I9, |900.

Witwen/wey No. 65|,9|8, PatentedJu'ne I9, |900,

E. W.'BOWERS. l

conn PLANTER.

(Application led Jan. B, 1900.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

v m: uoams PETERS co.. morauwo, wAsmusToN, n. c.

0. 0 u, B n U l. d e t n 6, l a P .-9 SR1 BnF-a. wm.d nuLw BPM ND wam .Om ...56m

3 sheets-sheet a.

(No Model.)

PATENT Frron.

EDWARD W. BOWERS, on FIDELirnonIo.

coRNPLANTi-:R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,918, dated June 19,- 1900.

` Application fileilanuary 8, 1900. Serial No. 682 (No model.)

T 0 all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD W. BOWERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fidelity, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Planters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain 4new and useful improvements in corn-planters. The general objects of this invention are, first, toprovide a hill-marking device which may be adjusted to bring all of the hills in a field in line with each other without the use of a check-row wire, so that after the grain grows the ground may be cultivated in more than one direction second, to provide animproved friction-clutch between one of the driving-Wheels and thermain driving-shaft, as also between the hill-marker andsuch machine; third, to provide an improved arrangement for holding the furrow-opener out of contact with the ground, as in turning corners and when the machine is notin use, and, fourth, to provide a two-part frame structure with the parts pivoted to a common shaft, such shaft being adapted to be elevated more My invention also relates to details of construction and arrangement hereinafter appearing and particularly pointed out in the claims. t

In4 the accompanying drawings, on which like reference letters and numerals indicate corresponding parts, Figure lis a plan View of my improved machine; Fig. 2, a rear end elevation; Fig. 3, a sectional View through the hopper on the line a at of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4, a sectional view on the line xof Fig. 3 looking in the direction o f the arrows; Fig. 5, a sectional View on the line y y of Fig. 3 lookingin the direction of the arrows; Fig. 6, a detail sectional view on the line z z of Fig. 5, also looking in the'direction of the arrows; Fig. 7, a detail perspectiveview of a portion of the rear of the machine and showing the furrow-opener or marker and the means for holding such furrow-opener out of contact with the ground and also for throwing the furrow-oponente either one side or the other of the machine; Fig. 8, adetail perspective view showing the hill-marker and the clutch mechanism for operating the same; Fig. 9, a 'sectional side elevationv on the line b l) of Fig. 1 lookingin' the direction of the arrows; Fig. lO, a detail view of a hinge for connecting a longitudinal beam with the tongue or pole; and Fig. 11, a sectional view on the line c c of Fig. l, showing the manner in vwhich the furrow-openers are elevated from the soil and supported in Such position.

I am aware that numerous efforts have been made to construct a corn-planter so that the ordinary check-row wire could be dispensed with; but, so far as I am aware, a successful machine has never been produced. The construction here set forth is designed to overcome the numerous defects in machines for the same general purpose where check-row wires are not employed. Such check-row wires are a source of great annoyance andrequire very careful handling in-order that all the hills may be dropped in line with each other, besides adding t-o the expense and inconvenience in handling the machine.

The letter A represents the forward or runner portion of the frame structure of my improved corn-planter, while the letter B represents the rear or wheel portion of said frame structure, such portions being pivotally connected to a shaft B', which carries a hillmarker C, loosely mounted thereon. This hill-marker is preferably near the center of the machine and carries on its outer periphery a number of hill-indicators D, which are bolted or otherwise secured thereto, as shown at E. The forward frame structure is held off from the ground by runners or furrowopeners F, the hill-marker C, and the tongue G. The usual hoppers Hare also supported by the forward frame structure, and each carriesa spout l, extending downward to the rear end of one of the runners F. Of course it will be understood that these runners are pointed at their forward end and divided at their rear ends in the usual manner in this class of machinery, as indicated in Fig. l. This is for the purpose of permitting the grain to pass down between the sides of such runners into a furrow formed thereby. The shaft B (see Figs. l and 4) carries a pair of tappets J in the nature of arms extending from said shaft, but which are secured there- IOO tive reciprocating bars M,which are moun-ted in guides P in the bottom of the hopper. It

will be observed that the end opposite the one with which the 'bell-crank' lever is connected is provided with a flange Q. Between this flange Q and the hopperH is mounted aspring R, which fits over the ends of the lugs S and T, carried by the flange Q and hopper, respectively. Neal' the central portion of this reciprocating bar is mounted a pivotedclu tch or pawl U, which is normally held in engagement with the teeth V, projecting from the underside of the dropper-plate W, rotatably mounted Within the hopper upon a stud X, carried by the spout I. It will be observed that this plate is'pro-vided with a numberof holes or openings, as shown at Y, as is usual in this class of dropper-plates. As the bar O reciprocates the clutch U will engage with one of the teeth of the plate W and will cause corn in the hopper each of the holes Y will be-lled with corn. Consequently as one of the filled holes comes over th-e spout I the cornl will drop through into such spout. 1 In order to regulate' the number of grains passing through the pl-ate, I provide a scraper or cut-olf Z, which normally rides on the pla-te over the discharge-opening. This scraper prevents more of the corn than that within one ofthe holes Y from passing into the spout I. AS soon as the tappet-arms J pass by the doublebellicrank lever L the spring R acts l to reciprocate the bar O toits normal position,

which movementwill cause the clutch-lever U to engage with another tooth V of the plate W. Consequently as the tappet-arms again strike the bell-crank lever the reciprocating bar will `bein position to operate the dropperplate so""th'at Vone of its lled holes will be over thedischarge-spout, while the hole last over suchspout will be moved into position within the hopper to be again filled with grain, it being- -un-derstood Y that the scraper Z protect'sthe' hole or opening immediately above thevspout-opening yfrom/the corn Withinl the hopper.` In order-that the corn may be Vdireeted'into the holes Y, a conical distributer 2v is supported within the hopper upon the plate W by means of arms 3, such arms extendingfrom an annular grain-deiiector 4.-, whichiits down upon the flange 5, extending upward from the base 6 of the hopper, and which also acts ,to direct the grain into the holes Y in the rotatable dropper-plate. Any form--cf-droppingmechanism, however, may be employed, no matter whether in connec- .tion with the hopper alone or with the spout leading 'to the furrow, Vor both, so long as my' tappet-'arms yare employed. As above stated, the hill-marker C is loosely mounted upon the shaft B; but when the machine is operating' such hill-markeris engaged with the shaft through clutch mechanism hereinafter referred to, so that after once fixing the tappet-arms upon said shaft they will always rotate with the hill-marker when the shaft B is rotated, in a manner which will presently appear. Of course it will be understood that the tappet-arms are sert with respect to the t hill-indicators so ,that by the time such indicators are in marking contact with the soil the tappet-arms will have operated the reciprocating feed-bar, whereby the instant the mark is made the corn will come in contact with the' ground. These hill-indicators are mounted around on the periphery 'of the diskmarker at su-i-table intervals to correspond with the'distance it is desired to make the various hills of corn from each other.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 9, and 10, it will be observed that a beam 8 is hinged at one end to the tongue G by means of a hinge 8', yWhile at its other end itis bifurcated, as shown at 9, to fit over a main driving shaft or axle 10. Upon this beam, which such plate to rotate from one hole tothe next hole. Ilnasmuch as this plate supports the is slightly to one side of the center of themachin-e, is mounted a lever 11, which engages with the dropper-shaft B and is adapted to raise such shaft above a notched bearing l12 in the beam when it is desired to elevate the t hill-markers and furrow-opening runners, as

inV turning corn-ers and also in traveling to and from the field. As soon as the dropperl shaft B is elevated it causes the fram-e struc- .tures to be raised therewith. This will have t a tendency to depress the ofuter'endsof said frame structures, and does depress the outer end of the rear frame structure but inasmuch as the front frame structure has' a tongue; rigidly connected therewith and also the beam i 8, it being understood that the connection of such beam with the tongue is such that itwill not give down, but will only yield inY an up- Ward direction, (see hinge 8', Fig. 10,).the outer end of the frame structure is supported by such tongue and beam and main drivingl axle 10 the same as though the tongue and beam were one solid piece. By reason of elevating the frame structures where they join it will bring the driving-shaft 10 and the dropper-shaft B slightly closer to each other, such movement being permitted by the bifurcation in the inner end of the beam 8.

It will be seen that upon the main drivingshaft is mounted a sliding clutch-body 13,

t which carries arms 14, having slotted openings 15therein. Clutch-arms 16 are pi'voted to'such clutch-body and extend through the slotted openings 15.l Upon 1 the rear frame structure B is pivoted a bifurcatedV lever 17,

`which at its bifurcated end fits into a groove 18 in the sliding clutch-body, While at its vother end it is connected with a link 19, adapted to engage with a bell-cranklever 20,

IOO.

connected with an operating-lever 21 bya rod 22. As the bearing-lever 21 is thrown backward or forward it acts upon the bell-crank lever 20, and through the rod 19 and bifurcated lever 17 the friction-clutch is thrown into engagement with a flange 23, carried by one of the wheels B. Consequently the more the lever 21 is operated to throw the vfriction-clutch into engagement with the driving-wheel B the tighter will be the contact between such clutch and flange. While the friction-clutch is slidable on its shaft, still it will be understood that it is prevented from rotating by means of a feather-key 24. This will cause the driving-shaft to rotate and also a sprocket-wheel 25, which is secured thereto, in any suitable manner. Another sprocketwheel 26 is carried by a second slidable clutch 27, suchA latter clutch being adapted to engage with a ange 28, carried by the hillm'arker C. The construction of this clutch is the same as the clutch heretofore described, so that a detail description will not be necessary. In order that the clutch 27 may be disengaged from the hill-marker, I provide a lever 29, pivoted at 30 to a bracket 31, carried by the beam 8. This lever fits in a groove 32 in the clutchand has connected therewith a rod 33, which engages with a rocking foot-lever 34. As the foot of the operator is placed upon the foot-rest 35 of the rocking lever 34 such lever is rocked, and

through it the lever 29 is made to act upon the clutch 27 to reciprocate it outof contact with the hill-marker. This will cause the hill-marker to cease operating, it being understood, of course, that the clutch 27 is keyed to the dropper-shaft B', as indicated by dotted lines 36. tated the tappet-arms J,which are also rigidly mounted upon the dropper-shaft B', will also rotate, so that the grain-feeding mechanism may be operated in the manner heretofore described. If found desirable, a clutch may be used for more than one of the drivingwheels, although it is found in actual practice that one friction-clutch is sufficient.'

Referring now to the marking device for making a mark at one side of the machine for the machine to follow on its return trip after making one trip across the field, it will be seen that I employ a marking-disk 37, rotatably mounted on the outer end of a bar 38. The inner end of this bar is rigidly connected with a rotatable shaft 39, mounted in a bearing 40, secured to the frame structure. This strip-shaft carries a pair of cross pins or spindles 41 and 42 at substantially right angles. to each other, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7 particularly. Above this shaft and upon the frame structure is mounted a segmental support 43, which carries a pair of brackets 44 and 45, respectively, upon which are pivotally mounted rollers 46. A rope or other suit# able device 47 is adapted to pass over one of the pulleys 46 and be secured at one end to a spring-detent 48, while at its other end it is As the hill-marker is ro secured to a pivoted foot-trip 49, the latter being connected with the frame structure B. The other pulley 46 also has a rope 50 passing over it and secured at one end to a springdet-ent 51, while its other end is connected with a pivoted foot-trip 52,also connected with the frame structure B. These foot-trips extend out from the frame structure sufficiently for the operator to place his heel upon one at a time, and at the same time his toe will strike one of the spindles 41 and 42, according to which may be in a tripping or horizontal position.

Let us suppose that the machine has traveled to the end of a row and that it is about to be turned. The operator sitting upon the scat 53, supported by the frame structure B, places his foot upon one of the spindles which is lying in a horizontal plane, in this instance being spindle 41. He presses downward on such spindle,which acts to partially rotate the shaft 39, thereby raising the marker disk and rod up from the ground, and by the time the shaft 39 has rotated suiciently for t-he spindle 41 to be in a vertical plane the rod 3S will be between the spring-detents 48 and 51, respectively, in which position it is held until one or the other of such spring-detente is withdrawn from engagement with such rod. The machine is now in position to be turned for its return trip, which will necessitate throwing the marker to the opposite side of the machine after the machine is in position for such return trip. This is quickly done by the operator simply placing his heel upon .the foot-lever 49 and upon the spindle 42, which has been rotated into a horizontal plane, thereby withdrawing the detent 48 and at the same time partially rotating the shaft 39, which causes the marker-disk to drop to the ground on the opposite side of the machine to that which it was on before turning.

It' after the machine makes one trip across the field and on its return the operator finds that the hills of corn are not being planted in line with the preceding rows, all that is necessary for him to do isV to elevate the dropper-shaft sufficiently for him to slightly turn the hill-marker, which will cause the hill-indicators to mark the hills in the proper places and the tappet-arms J to properly operate the seed-dropping mechanism.

A spring 54 is mounted on the shaft B between a collar 55,rigidly mounted on the shaft B and the clutch 27, so as to hold said clutch normal] yin engagement with the hill-marker. This spring has sufficient tension -to prevent such marker from slipping with respectto the frictional clutch.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is t 1. In a corn-planter, the combination with a p IOO IIO

carried by oneof 'said frame-structures and adapted to be operated by said tappets, and means for supporting said frame. structures, and means for driving said drOPPer-shaft, substantially as shown and described. t

2.. In a corn-planter, the combination with a two-partv frame structure, of a dropper-shaft to which said parts are hinged, a tongue rigidly secured tooneof said partsga beam hinged at one 'end tosaid tongue and forming a rigid extension thereof in one plane, yet permitting said tongue to beraised above said plane, the other end of said beam being supported by the other of said frame structures, means to elevate said dropper shaft and parts at- 'rached thereto, ground-wheels for supporting the said frame structures, and dropper mechanism operated by said tappe-ts, substantially as shown and described.

two-part frame structure pivotally connected with a. dropper-shaft, furrowing and dropping mechanism carried by one of said framestrnc- .tu-res, tappets carried -by said dropper-shaft for engaging with said dropper mechanism, a

said'frame structures mounted in ground'- wheels, a. hill-marker mounted on said dropper-shaft, a frictional clutch slidably mounted upon said dropper-shaft for engaging with said hill-marker, a sprocket-chain adapted to connect said friction-clutch with said `main driving-shaft, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a corn-planter, the combination with a pin mechanism,a hill-marker loosely mounted on said dropper-shaft a frictional clutch carried by said dropper-shaft and adapted to t engagewith said hill-markena driving-shaft v carried by said rear frame structure, snpporting wheelsv mounted thereon, a frictional clutch slidablymounted on saidd-riving-shaft for engaging with one of said carrying-wheels, a sprocket-chain for connecting said drivingshaft with the hill-.marker frictional clutch, `-substantially as shown and described.

6. In a corn-planter, thecozmbination with a two-part frame structure, of a dropper-'shaft t to. which said parts are pivoted, supportingwheels for one of` said parts and a tongueA for the other, a beam hinged to said tongue and y adapted to yield in an upward direction and be rigid ina downward direction, and Supa ported at itsother end by the wheel-supported 3. In a corn-planter, the combination with a part, and lever mechanism carried vby said beam to elevate the parts of said frame strucn titre, dropper-.shaft and frame structure, subj stantially asy sho-wn and described.

7 In acornplanter, the combination with a l dropper-shaf t, of; abili-marker loosely mountmain driving-shaft carried by the other of 1 ed thereon hill-indicators carried by said hillmarker according tothe distance the hills are to be planted from each other, a frictional v. clutch slidably mounted on said shaft and adapted to engage with said hill-marker, and means for holding ,Such clutch in engaging contact therewith.

8.` In acorn-planter, the combination with a drop-per-shaft, of a hill-marker loosely mounted thereon carrying hill-indicators, such hilltwo-part. frame structure pivotally connected with a dropper-shaft, one ahead ofthe other,

. adapted to drive said shaft, a beam hinged to said tongue to prevent the downward movement of said tongue and beam below a predetermined plane, said beam being slidably mounted upon said main driving-shaft, a le- -ver carried by said beam and adapted to engage with said dropper-shaft to elevate said shaft'and forward frame structure, a pair of grain receptacles carried by said forward frame structure, furrow-openers also carried by said forward frame structure, dropper mechanism for dropping the grain into said furrow-openers, and tappet-arms carried by said dropper-shaft vfor operating said .dropper mechanism, and a sprocket-chain connecting lsaid driving-shaft and said dropper-shaft, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a corn-planter, the combination with a two-part frame structure hinged to a droppershaft, one ahead of the other, a tongue rigidly connected with the forward frame structure and a pair of seed-receptacles andk furrowopeners also carried by said forward frame structure, drpping mechanism carried by said receptacles, tappets carried by said drop` per-shaft and adapted to operate said dropindicators being adapted to indicate thedistances the hills are to be apart, a clutch slidably mounted on said shaft and rotatable with said shaft, said clutch consisting of a body portion and a pair of pivoted arms extending in opposite directionsfrom each other and passing through slotted openings in extensions from the body portion of said 4clutch toy permit of movement of the arms in the direction of the shaft, and a flange carried by said hill-marker with which said arms frictionally engage, substantially as kshown and described.

9. In acorn-planter, the combination with a dropper-shaft carrying a pair of adjustable tappets thereon, and a loosely-mounted hillmarker, a friotional clutch for engaging with said hill-marker, Slidably mounted on and rotatable with said shaft, hill-indicators .carried by said hill-.marker to indicate the distances the hills are apart, said hill-marker being rotatably adj usiable relatively to said tappet-arms, substantially as shown and described.

10. In a corn-planter, the combination with a frame structure, 0f a shaft rotatably mounted therein carrying a pair of spindles at right angles to each other, a marker-rod rigidly mounted on the outer lend of said shaft, a marker carried by said rod, and means to hold said marker-.rod and marker out of marking position when elevated by pre ssingupon one IIO of said spindles and release said rod and marker when the other of said spindles is pressed upon.

11. In acorn-planter, the combination With aframe structure, of a shaft rotatably mounted therein carrying a pair of spindles at right angles to each other, of a marker-rod and marker rigidly mounted upon said shaft, a pair of spring-detents adapted to hold said marker-rod in a vertical position, a pair of ropes engaging their respective detents, a foot-lever for each of said ropes, said levers being in close proximity to said spindles and operated at the same time, whereby said marker is thrown from one side of the machine to the other according to which detent is thrown out of engagement with said marker by their respective levers, substantially as shown and described.

12. In a corn-planter, the combination with a frame structure having a shaft rotatably mounted therein, carrying a pair of spindles extending through said shaft at right angles to each other, of a marker-rod rigidly mounted on said shaft, and carrying a disk-marker, a bracket carried by said frame structure above said shaft, a pair of pivoted detents carried by said bracket and also a pair of pulleys, said detents adapted to engage With said marker-rod When in an upright position, a pair of foot-levers pivoted to said frame structure,a pair of ropes connected at one end. with the respective detents and pressing over said pulleys and secured to their respective foot-levers, said spindles being for the purpose of rotating said shaft by the foot of the operator in either direction, said levers being for the purpose of releasing one of said detents at atime according to which side of the machine the marker is to be used, substantially as shown and described.-

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDWARD W. BOWERS.

Witnesses:

S. C. MoRToN, LoRAN A. KERR. 

